Four years ago, a rumor spread throughout Hinkon.
A young boy carrying nothing but a sword wandered the land, challenging every swordsman he encountered to a battle to the death.
According to the stories, he never lost.
Most dismissed the rumor as nonsense. Surely no child could defeat seasoned warriors.
Then one day, a Commander from FADA's Unit 8 at the time accepted the boy's challenge.
He never returned home.
From that day onward, the mysterious child became a wanted fugitive hunted by FADA.
Months later, Sailou found the boy starving and wounded in the wastelands of Hinkon.
He rescued him.
That child was Kutcher.
* * *
Back to the present with Tuziku—
Tuziku tried to wake Kutcher who was sound asleep. "Kutcher!!! Wake up, we have to get away from here!"
A soldier came bursting through the bushes, locking eyes on Tuziku who was attempting to wake Kutcher.
"There's two of them over there!" a soldier shouted as he pointed toward Tuziku.
"Hurry up guys! We can't let them escape!"
Rustle… rustle…
The other soldiers ran toward the voice of their comrade.
Rustle…
"Kutcher! We have to get out of here and warn the others!" Tuziku shouted.
"Stop right there, kid!" the soldier yelled as he closed the distance.
"Come in, General Hinomo! This is the advance squad reporting in," the soldier reported through his radio.
Tuziku froze as he glanced at Kutcher who was only a few feet away.
What should I do now?!
"Come in, soldier… what have you got?" Hinomo responded to the soldier.
"Kutcher! Get up, damn it!"
"Sir, we've made contact with two male individuals near the center. They appear to be teenagers!"
"Is the Acid user among them?" Hinomo asked.
"I'm not sure, sir... I'm about to engage the two and confirm right now, sir," he replied as he slowly approached Tuziku.
"Keep me updated! We're heading your way right now."
"Attention all soldiers… targets have been spotted near the center of the forest."
"Everyone move toward the center!"
"This is Ishimi. Understood."
Meanwhile, the other three soldiers approaching behind Tuziku were closing in at an alarming speed.
"Damn it, where are those guys?!" The soldier shouted as he began to panic.
The soldier armed himself and loaded his gun, preparing to fire.
I have to get Kutcher to wake up! Tuziku thought to himself.
Tuziku bolted toward Kutcher.
"Kutcher!!!"
Boom! boom!
The soldier fired two shots straight at Tuziku who fell just as he was about to reach Kutcher.
And just before the bullets made impact—
Kutcher's eyes snapped open.
In an instant—he quickly stepped into the line of fire.
His blade flashed from its scabbard.
Ting! Ting…!
The bullets fell to the ground.
Tuziku collapsed on the floor in shock, panting heavily.
I'm—alive...!
"What the—" the soldier muttered.
Kutcher suddenly dashed toward the soldier.
In response, the soldier panicked and fired another shot.
Boom!
Kutcher easily slipped past the bullet.
And before the soldier could react—
For a brief moment, his blade flashed at incredible speeds.
The blade tore across the soldier's stomach.
Thud…
His body collapsed as blood poured from the wound.
"What's going on here, Tuziku?!" Kutcher asked him with a confused expression.
"There are soldiers are in the forest…! I don't know how, but I think they've come after me!"
At that moment, the three remaining soldiers from the advance squad had finally caught up.
"Over there! I see them!" one soldier shouted.
"Shit! There's more of them?!" said Kutcher as he gripped his blade and helped Tuziku to his feet.
"Get a hold of yourself, Tuziku!"
Damn it...! Im not used to fighting against armed opponents.
As the soldiers charged, the sight of their fallen comrade and the gruesome state his body was in, made them come to an abrupt halt.
"Wh-what the hell?!" one soldier shouted.
"He's dead!"
"His stomach was cut open…!"
"Request backup immediately!" he yelled while aiming his rifle at Kutcher.
K—CHKK!
"We have to run for now, Tuziku!" Kutcher shouted as he fled.
"Ho—hold on!" Tuziku ran behind him.
"They're getting away!"
"Come in, General Hinomo! This is the advance squad," a soldier reported.
"What's the update?" Hinomo asked.
"Sir, we've lost a soldier! The enemies are strong. I believe we've encountered the swordsman of the Casoltins crew!"
"What about the Acid user?"
"He might be the one with the swordsman, but I'm not certain… he hasn't attacked yet."
"Where are you now?"
"We're almost at the center of the forest."
"General Ishimi should be able to intercept them if he keeps advancing from the southern side of the forest."
"...Stay in pursuit and do not let them escape!" Hinomo ordered.
"Yes, sir!!" He replied
"Ishimi, come in!" Hinomo called.
"This is Ishimi. I've heard everything… We're advancing toward the center as we speak."
"We should encounter the targets shortly."
"Alright. Good luck out there," Hinomo replied.
As General Ishimi bolted toward the center of the forest he thought to himself—
It seems Hinomo and I had the same idea in mind to send a small group of soldiers ahead.
"Gungī, did you hear all of that?" He contacted a soldier on his radio.
"...Yes, General Ishimi, I'm already on it."
Meanwhile, as Tuziku and Kutcher desperately ran through the forest.
"Kutcher, what do we do?!" Tuziku gasped.
"We have to warn the rest of the crew and focus on escaping," Kutcher replied, running beside him.
Boom! Boom!
Gunfire erupted behind them.
"Shit…! Try not to get hit, Tuziku!"
"I'll try...!" He replied.
At the same time, General Ishimi's squad advanced directly toward them.
Boom! Boom!
"Just keep running, Tuziku! We have to get away!"
Suddenly—
"Tuziku, wait!"
They both came to an abrupt stop.
Gungī Hanopi, the Commander and second in command of Unit 6, stood before them, with around a dozen soldiers behind him.
"We've finally found you guys..."
"General Ishimi, this is Gungī. I've made contact with the targets. About to engage."
"Eliminate them at once."
"They're definitely members of the Casoltins," Ishimi replied calmly
Kutcher stepped in front of Tuziku.
But at that moment, the three soldiers from Hinomo's advance squad had finally caught up behind them.
"We've finally caught up to you two..." one soldier shouted.
"You've got no where to run!" Another soldier shouted.
"This is bad...! They've got us completely surrounded, Kutcher!" Tuziku panicked, his face filled with fear.
"How dare you filthy scums kill one of our men!" a soldier shouted at them.
Commander Gungi raised his hand.
"All soldiers—prepare to fire!"
"We're eliminating these criminals right here and now… before the General arrives!"
CHAPTER 18 END